Mentoring That Matters Podcast

Ellen Castillo
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Mentoring That Matters Podcast is hosted by Ellen Castillo, a Certified Biblical Counselor whose passion is to bridge the generation gap in the body of Christ through mentoring. At Bridge The Gap, Ellen offers mentor training, resources, and a membership for women. On the podcast, we talk about the impact of mentoring on Christian’s lives. Whether you are being mentored, mentoring someone else, or simply longing for that kind of meaningful connection, you’ll find encouragement, inspiration, and a renewed vision for what mentoring can look like in the everyday moments of a person’s life.

  1. 5d ago

    "Do You Love Me?", The Questions Jesus Asked week 5 Finale; Season Finale

    MENTORING THAT MATTERS  |  THE QUESTIONS JESUS ASKED  |  WEEK 5  |  SERIES FINALE Show Notes: "Do You Love Me?" Episode Summary In the final episode of The Questions Jesus Asked, we go to Isaiah 6, where a prophet saw the Lord on His throne and cried out, "Woe is me for I am ruined." Then a glowing coal from the altar touched his lips, his sin was atoned for, and God asked a question: "Who should I send? Who will go for us?" We'll talk about meeting God in seasons of loss, feeling disqualified in the very place God wants to use you, why cleansing comes before calling, and how God looks for willing people, not perfect ones. Then we look back at all five questions God asked here on the podcast during this series, and the one He may be asking you right now. In This Episode Seeing the Lord on His throne "in the year that King Uzziah died" "Woe is me": feeling unworthy in the very area of our calling A coal from the altar, a charcoal fire, and how God meets us at the place of fire The question after the cleansing: God asks for volunteers, not perfect people For mentors: helping women move from "woe is me" to "here I am" Series wrap-up: five questions God asked, and the one He's asking you now Scripture Referenced Isaiah 6:1-8 (Isaiah's vision, cleansing, and call) John 21:1-19 (this week's blog passage: "Do you love me?") Series questions from the podcast: Genesis 3:9, Genesis 4:6, 1 Kings 19:9, Genesis 16:8, Isaiah 6:8 Scripture quotations are from the Christian Standard Bible (CSB). Quote to Remember "God is not looking for perfect people. He's looking for forgiven people who are willing to say, 'Here I am.'" Reflection Questions Have you ever met God in a season when something important ended? What did you see of Him there? Is there an area where you feel disqualified, maybe the very place God might want to use you? What does it mean to you that the coal came to Isaiah, and not the other way around? Who might God be sending you to? What would it look like to say, "Here I am"? Free Resource The Restoration Conversation: a gentle script card for walking with someone after she's failed, modeled on Jesus and Peter, with what to say, what to avoid, and pocket cards. https://www.ellencastillo.com/free-resources.html Connect Join the Bridge the Gap Community: a community of Christian women learning to mentor and be mentored. https://www.ellencastillo.com/community.html Read this week's blog post: "Do You Love Me? How Jesus Restores Someone Who Has Failed." https://www.ellencastillo.com/blog/do-you-love-me-how-jesus-restores-someone-who-has-failed Share your mentoring story: Has someone mentored you, or have you mentored someone, in a way that changed your life? I'd love to hear about it, and you might be featured on a future episode. Contact me at https://www.ellencastillo.com

  2. Oct 27

    "Who Touched Me?", The Questions Jesus Asked week 4

    MENTORING THAT MATTERS  |  THE QUESTIONS JESUS ASKED  |  WEEK 4 Show Notes: "Where Have You Come From, and Where Are You Going?" Episode Summary Hagar was a servant nobody called by name. Mistreated and pregnant, she ran into the wilderness, and there God found her by a spring and asked two questions: "Where have you come from, and where are you going?" In week four of The Questions Jesus Asked, we look at how God saw a woman everyone else overlooked, and how being seen changed the way she saw Him. We'll talk about the power of calling someone by name, why good mentors ask about both the past and the future, how to read a hard verse with care, and what it means that Hagar named God "the One who sees me." In This Episode A woman nobody called by name, and the first One who did Two questions: honoring her past and helping her hope for the future Why so many women can say what they're running from, but not where they're going Reading a hard verse carefully, and what to do when a woman is being harmed Ishmael, "God hears," and El-roi, "the God who sees" A personal invitation: is there a Hagar in your life, or are you Hagar right now? Scripture Referenced Genesis 16:1-14 (Hagar in the wilderness; El-roi) Genesis 21:8-21 (God provides for Hagar and Ishmael again) Luke 8:40-48 (this week's blog passage: "Who touched me?") Scripture quotations are from the Christian Standard Bible (CSB). Quote to Remember "A woman nobody else called by name gives a name to God. Being seen changed how Hagar saw God." Reflection Questions When has someone remembering your name made you feel seen? In your own life right now, could you more easily answer "Where have you come from?" or "Where are you going?" Why? Who in your life might be a "Hagar," treated more like a role than a person? How has being seen by someone else changed the way you see God? If You or Someone You Love Is Being Harmed If you, or a woman you're walking with, are being mistreated or are not safe at home, please reach out for help. In the United States, the National Domestic Violence Hotline is available 24/7 at 1-800-799-7233, or text START to 88788. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911. God sees you, and He does not want you harmed. Free Resources Who's in Your Crowd? Reflection sheet: map the places you go each week, prayerfully name the women at the edge, and take simple first steps to reach out, with a follow-up tracker. Find it at the end of the blog post. https://www.ellencastillo.com/blog/who-touched-me-seeing-the-woman-the-crowd-missed Connect Join the Bridge the Gap membership: There are several options for all types of women to join a community of Christian women learning to mentor and be mentored. https://www.ellencastillo.com/community.html Read this week's blog post: "Who Touched Me? Seeing the Woman the Crowd Missed." https://www.ellencastillo.com/blog/who-touched-me-seeing-the-woman-the-crowd-missed Share your mentoring story: Has someone mentored you, or have you mentored someone, in a way that changed your life? I'd love to hear about it, and you might be featured on a future episode. Contact me at https://www.ellencastillo.com

  3. Oct 21

    "Why Are You Afraid?"; The Questions Jesus Asked, week 3

    MENTORING THAT MATTERS  |  THE QUESTIONS JESUS ASKED  |  WEEK 3 Show Notes: "What Are You Doing Here?" Episode Summary Right after one of the greatest victories in Israel's history, the prophet Elijah ran for his life. In week three of The Questions Jesus Asked, we sit under the broom tree with a frightened, exhausted Elijah and watch how patiently God cared for him: rest and bread first, then a question asked twice, a low whisper, and a way forward. We'll talk about why fear often comes after the mountaintop, why caring for the body comes before addressing the heart, what to do when fear keeps repeating the same story, and how God answers fear with presence, a next step, and a companion. In This Episode Why fear often shows up right after we've given everything we have Elijah under the broom tree, and a tender pause for anyone who has felt "it is enough" Rest and bread before questions: caring for the whole person The same question asked twice, and why fear repeats itself God in the low whisper, not the wind, earthquake, or fire A next step, a companion, and the truth: how God answered Elijah's fear A personal invitation: what are you doing here? Scripture Referenced 1 Kings 18 (Elijah on Mount Carmel) 1 Kings 19:1-18 (Elijah's flight, the broom tree, and the low whisper) Mark 4:35-41 (this week's blog passage: "Why are you so afraid?") Quote to Remember "God didn't meet Elijah's fear with more noise. He met it with quiet presence." Reflection Questions Have you ever felt fear or exhaustion hit right after a season of giving your all? What was that like? What does "rest and bread" look like for you right now? Who could you offer it to this week? Is there a fearful story you keep telling yourself? What might God want to say back to it? Where has fear driven you lately? How would you answer if God asked, "What are you doing here?" If You Need Help Today If you or someone you love has felt like Elijah, "It is enough; take away my life," please don't wait it out alone. Reach out today to your pastor, a counselor, or your doctor. In the United States, you can call or text 988 (the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) any time, day or night. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911. Free Resources The Fear Beneath: seven journal prompts to help you, or a woman you're walking with, gently name the fear underneath the problem and bring it to Jesus, plus Bible bookmarks. https://www.ellencastillo.com/free-resources.html Connect Join the Bridge the Gap Community, a community of Christian women learning to mentor and be mentored in a variety of Community opportunities. https://www.ellencastillo.com/community.html Read this week's blog post: "Why Are You Afraid? Finding the Fear Under the Problem." https://www.ellencastillo.com/blog/why-are-you-afraid-finding-the-fear-under-the-problem Share your mentoring story: Has someone mentored you, or have you mentored someone, in a way that changed your life? I'd love to hear about it, and you might be featured on a future episode. Contact Ellen at https://www.ellencastillo.com on the contact form.

  4. Oct 13

    "Do You Want to be Healed?"; The Questions Jesus Asked week 2

    MENTORING THAT MATTERS  |  THE QUESTIONS JESUS ASKED  |  WEEK 2 Episode Summary What do you do when you ask the right question, with the right heart, and the other person walks away from it? In week two of The Questions Jesus Asked, we go back to Genesis 4, where God asked Cain, "Why are you angry?" before he ever sinned. Cain never answered. We'll talk about protective questions that come early, what Cain's silence looks like in everyday mentoring relationships, and why an unanswered question doesn't automatically mean you failed. You'll also hear three things to do when someone won't engage, and how to release the outcome to God without releasing the relationship. In This Episode Cain and Abel's offerings, and what later Scripture tells us about Cain's heart Why God's question to Cain came before the sin, and how questions can protect What Cain's silence looks like in ordinary mentoring relationships God asked perfectly, and Cain still walked away: setting down the weight of every outcome Three things to do when she won't engage: keep the door open, keep praying, keep your heart soft Releasing the outcome without releasing the relationship A personal invitation: is there a question God has been asking you? Scripture Referenced Genesis 4:1-16 (Cain and Abel; God's questions to Cain) Hebrews 11:4 (Abel offered "by faith") 1 John 3:12 (Cain's deeds were evil) John 5:1-9 (this week's blog passage: "Do you want to be healed?") Quote to Remember "If God Himself can ask a question and have it go unanswered, then an unanswered question doesn't automatically mean you failed. You can ask well. You can't answer for her." Reflection Questions Has someone ever asked you a "protective" question before you made a choice you regretted? Did you answer it? When someone walks away from your help, what's your first reaction: blaming yourself, blaming her, or releasing it to God? Which is hardest for you right now: keeping the door open, keeping praying, or keeping your heart soft? Is there a question God has been asking you that you've been leaving unanswered? Free Resource Before You Help checklist: a heart check for you, five readiness questions to ask her, and what to do when the answer is "not yet," plus cut-out pocket cards. [LINK] Connect Join the Bridge the Gap Facebook Group: a community of Christian women learning to mentor and be mentored, supporting one another. Read this week's blog post: "Do You Want to Be Healed? Why Good Mentors Ask Before They Help." [LINK] Share your mentoring story: Has someone mentored you, or have you mentored someone, in a way that changed your life? I'd love to hear about it, and you might be featured on a future episode. Contact me

  5. Oct 6

    "Where Are You?"; The Questions Jesus Asked week 1

    MENTORING THAT MATTERS  |  THE QUESTIONS JESUS ASKED  |  WEEK 1 Show Notes: "Where Are You?" Episode Summary Long before Jesus asked His disciples, "Who do you say that I am?", God asked the very first question in Scripture: "Where are you?" In this first episode of our new series, The Questions Jesus Asked, we go back to the garden in Genesis 3 to see why an all-knowing God asks questions at all, and what His question teaches us about the questions we ask the women we mentor. We'll look at three kinds of questions (the ones that corner, the ones that shame, and the ones that invite), the most honest sentence Adam ever said, and how to receive honesty well when someone finally comes out from behind the trees. In This Episode Why God came walking in the garden, and where Adam and Eve chose to hide Why an all-knowing God asks questions He already knows the answers to Three kinds of questions: cornering, shaming, and inviting, and how the same words can be any of the three The heart behind God's question, seen in Genesis 3:21 Adam's honest answer ("I was afraid… and I hid") and what to do when a woman gives you her honest sentence Three things mentors can try this week A personal invitation: where are you hiding? Scripture Referenced Genesis 3:8-13 (the first question God asked) Genesis 3:21 (God clothes Adam and Eve) Genesis 2:9 (the trees God planted) Luke 19:10 (Jesus came to seek and to save the lost) Matthew 16:13-17 (this week's blog passage: "Who do you say that I am?") Quote to Remember "The God who asked 'Where are you?' was the same God who was about to clothe them. His question came from a heart that was already planning to cover their shame. That's what makes a question an invitation." Reflection Questions Think of a time someone asked you a cornering or shaming question. How did you respond? Who has asked you an inviting question? What made it feel safe? What "good trees" are you tempted to hide behind right now? How would you answer if God asked you today, "Where are you?" Free Resources Three Layers Deep question card: facts, feelings, and faith questions for any mentoring conversation, plus cut-out pocket cards. Find it at the end of the blog post. Connect Join the Bridge the Gap Facebook Group: a community of Christian women learning to mentor and be mentored, with discussion forums, resources, and more. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1552942909011397 Subscribe to the Bridge the Gap Newsletter https://www.ellencastillo.com/newsletter-signup.html Read this week's blog post and download the free resource: "Who Do You Say That I Am? Asking the Question Beneath the Question." https://www.ellencastillo.com/blog/who-do-you-say-that-i-am-asking-the-question-beneath-the-question Share your mentoring story: Has someone mentored you, or have you mentored someone, in a way that changed your life? I'd love to hear about it, and you might be featured on a future episode. Contact me at https://www.ellencastillo.com

  6. Sep 29

    What Nobody Told You About When a Mentoring Relationship Ends

    MENTORING THAT MATTERS · SHOW NOTES · SERIES FINALE Companion to Blog Week 5: "What Nobody Tells You About When a Mentoring Relationship Ends" Episode Summary The final episode of What Nobody Tells You About Mentoring closes the series with one of Paul's smallest, most overlooked passages — his closing, practical requests to Timothy in his very last letter. Rather than repeating the blog's Paul-and-Barnabas rupture and restoration, Ellen turns to 2 Timothy 4 to explore what ending well looks like in the ordinary, practical sense: naming logistics honestly, telling the truth about who stayed and where it was hard, asking for what you still need, and letting what was built outlast the relationship's regular rhythm. Anchor Scripture "When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and my scrolls, especially the parchments." — 2 Timothy 4:13 "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." — 2 Timothy 4:7 Quote to Remember "Ending well was never only about the theological summary. It was also about the coat, the books, the names, the practical loose ends tied up with care." In This Episode What Paul's small, practical requests in his final letter teach us about ending any relationship well Four postures: naming the practical things, telling the truth about who stayed and who left, asking for what you still need, letting the relationship outlast the meetings A picture of an ordinary, honest goodbye between a mentor and mentee This week's smallest next step: making one practical list for a relationship that's ending A look back at the whole What Nobody Tells You About Mentoring series Resources Mentioned Free download: "A Blessing to Say Over an Ending", at end of blog post Blog post: "What Nobody Tells You About When a Mentoring Relationship Ends" at ellencastillo.com Christian Women Who Mentor | Bridge the Gap community on Facebook Reflection Questions Is there a practical loose end in a relationship of yours that deserves honest attention rather than being left vague? Have you told the truth about both who stayed and where it was hard, or have you flattened the story in one direction? What is still worth asking for, even in a season that's closing? What deserves to be handed over — a book, a piece of advice, a blessing spoken aloud — so this relationship keeps working after the meetings stop? Connect Join the Christian Women Who Mentor | Bridge the Gap community to get matched, ask your questions, and walk this out with support.  Read this week's companion blog post, "What Nobody Tells You About When a Mentoring Relationship Ends," at ellencastillo.com. Free resource download at the end of the article. Have a mentoring story of your own? I'd love to feature it in a future episode — email me to share what mentoring has looked like for you, on either side of the relationship.

  7. Sep 23

    What Nobody Tells You About When Mentoring Gets Hard, week 4

    MENTORING THAT MATTERS · SHOW NOTES Companion to Blog Week 4: "What Nobody Tells You About When Mentoring Gets Hard" Episode Summary Many mentoring relationships hit a wall eventually — this episode looks at what actually keeps you building when it does. Ellen turns to Nehemiah's exhausted, discouraged wall-builders in Nehemiah 4 for a different angle than this week's blog: not which category of "hard" you're in, but the practical postures that kept an ancient building project moving when the workers themselves said they couldn't go on. Four postures — naming the rubble specifically, posting a guard while continuing to build, working with a tool in one hand, and remembering who you're building for — plus a picture of what it looks like when two women push through a hard season together. Anchor Scripture "The strength of the laborers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild the wall." — Nehemiah 4:10 "Remember the Lord... and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes." — Nehemiah 4:14 Quote to Remember "Specific rubble can be cleared, one stone at a time. Vague heaviness just sits on you." In This Episode What Nehemiah's discouraged wall-builders teach us about pushing through a hard season Four postures: naming the rubble specifically, posting a guard while building, working with a tool in one hand, remembering who you're building for A picture of two women who named their discouragement honestly and kept their standing meeting through a slow season This week's smallest next step: naming the specific rubble out loud, with a sentence to borrow Resources Mentioned Free download: "A Letter to Read When You Want to Quit", found at the end of the blog post Blog post: "What Nobody Tells You About When Mentoring Gets Hard" https://www.ellencastillo.com/blog/what-nobody-tells-you-about-when-mentoring-gets-hard Christian Women Who Mentor | Bridge the Gap community https://www.facebook.com/groups/1552942909011397 Reflection Questions If you're in a hard season right now, what is the specific "rubble" underneath the general heaviness? Are you building and protecting at the same time, or has one crowded out the other? Who, specifically, are you building this relationship for — and when did you last remember that on purpose? Connect:  Have a mentoring story of your own? I'd love to feature it in a future episode — email me to share what mentoring has looked like for you, on either side of the relationship. Contact form: https://www.ellencastillo.com/

  8. Sep 15

    What Nobody Tells You About Asking Someone to Mentor You, week 3

    MENTORING THAT MATTERS · SHOW NOTES Companion to Blog Week 3: "What Nobody Tells You About Asking Someone to Mentor You" Episode Summary The blog gave you the words. This episode gives you the nerve to say them. Ellen turns to Bartimaeus's bold, specific cry for help in Mark 10 to explore what it actually takes to voice an ask out loud — even when the crowd around you suggests you should sit down and be quiet. The episode closes with a short new feature: the first letter in a series called To the Older Sisters, encouraging women further along in faith to say yes when someone asks them to mentor. Anchor Scripture "Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more." — Mark 10:48 "'What do you want me to do for you?' Jesus asked him. The blind man said, 'Rabbi, I want to see.'" — Mark 10:51 Quote to Remember "Vague answers are easy to give and easy to forget. Specific answers are the ones that actually get met." In This Episode What Bartimaeus's bold cry for help teaches us about asking, beyond just having the right words Three postures: letting the crowd's discomfort stay theirs, answering specifically when given the chance, and letting the answer move you forward A picture of what a bold, imperfect ask can look like in real life This week's smallest next step: naming one plain, specific ask A new closing feature: the first letter in the To the Older Sisters series Resources Mentioned Free download: "The Ask" — message templates for reaching out, following up, and responding gracefully either way. This is at the end of the blog post. Blog post: "What Nobody Tells You About Asking Someone to Mentor You" https://www.ellencastillo.com/blog/what-nobody-tells-you-about-asking-someone-to-mentor-you Christian Women Who Mentor | Bridge the Gap community https://www.facebook.com/groups/1552942909011397 Reflection Questions Have you been shrinking an ask down to something vague and safe, rather than naming exactly what you want? Whose discomfort have you been managing instead of simply asking anyway? If your ask were answered today, are you ready to actually follow where it leads — or just to feel relieved? Connect: Have a mentoring story of your own? I'd love to feature it in a future episode — contact me to share what mentoring has looked like for you, on either side of the relationship. https://www.ellencastillo.com

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About

Mentoring That Matters Podcast is hosted by Ellen Castillo, a Certified Biblical Counselor whose passion is to bridge the generation gap in the body of Christ through mentoring. At Bridge The Gap, Ellen offers mentor training, resources, and a membership for women. On the podcast, we talk about the impact of mentoring on Christian’s lives. Whether you are being mentored, mentoring someone else, or simply longing for that kind of meaningful connection, you’ll find encouragement, inspiration, and a renewed vision for what mentoring can look like in the everyday moments of a person’s life.

Information

  • Creator
    Ellen Castillo
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    16
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Mentoring That Matters Podcast